About Rawnsley Park Station
Rawnsley Park Station, on the southern face of Wilpena Pound, was settled as part of Arkaba Station in 1851. Early pastoralists attempted to grow wheat and farm sheep in the area, however a succession of natural disasters, along with the low rainfall and fluctuating prices, made earning a living difficult. In 1895, parts of Arkaba were subdivided for farming allotments, including a 6,253-acre portion now known as Rawnsley Park Station.
Between 1895 and 1953, the land was owned by a number of pastoralists, who had varying degrees of success. In 1953, it was purchased by Clem Smith, youngest son of Howard and Ida Smith of the neighbouring Prelinna Station. In 1963 Clem purchased an adjoining parcel of land, bringing the total area to 7,453-acres, and renamed the property Rawnsley Park Station after Rawnsley Bluff, the southern tip of Wilpena Pound.
Initially devoted solely to sheep grazing, Rawnsley Park Station ventured into tourism in 1968, when the first cabin was established and sheep shearing demonstrations began. Though tourism is now the main industry on the property, the Station still runs 600 sheep.
Clem's son, Tony, took over ownership and management of the property in 1984. Since then, Tony and his wife, Julieanne, have transformed a small struggling sheep station into an award-winning tourism facility that attracts 20,000 visitors each year.
Active members of the South Australian tourism industry, Tony and Julieanne are passionate about the Flinders Ranges and the tourism opportunities it presents. They were one of the first tourism operators in South Australia to gain official ecotourism accreditation and are also interested in developing the 'geotourism' sector, which involves understanding how the earth was formed.
Committed to environmentally responsible and sustainable tourism, Tony and Julieanne recently entered into a Heritage Agreement with the South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage in order to protect the diverse vegetation of Rawnsley Bluff. Their substantial financial investment into the new Rawnsley Park eco-villas is further evidence of this commitment.
Avid travellers, Tony and Julieanne have explored much of the Australian Outback and enjoy summer holidays by the sea. They have three boys, all of whom have been raised at Rawnsley Park Station.
